The Two Brothers
by GayGwaine
Summary: "So," his cousin began. "Tell us about Scorpius." Albus' heart skipped a beat and he could feel a lump forming in his throat as his family turned their heads towards him, all of them obviously trying to hide the extent of their curiosity. A oneshot in which James is a bit of an ass, Albus is a gay-in-hiding and the others just sit and watch the show (Implied Albus/Scorpius)


Word Count: 932

"So," his cousin began. "Tell us about Scorpius."

Albus' heart skipped a beat and he could feel a lump forming in his throat as his family turned their heads towards him, all of them obviously trying to hide the extent of their curiosity. Even James was trying to seem uninterested, but Albus knew that he had wanted to ask for years – that all of them had. Albus knew that they had all been waiting for Roxanne to return from France and ask the question that they all yearned to know the answer to:

 _What was the young Malfoy like?_

And Albus had had a reply prepared for _years_ , but now that it was time, now that his siblings and cousins were all looking at him with careful interest, he couldn't get a sentence to form in his brain let alone out of his mouth.

"Well he's um…he's very…"

"Quiet." Rose interrupted him, and although he was annoyed at her because Scorpius was really so much more that _quiet_ , he couldn't help but feel overwhelming relief that the attention had been diverted from him and he could let her get him out of this.

"Well I don't really know much," Rose continued. "But he seems that sort of way, y'know? Quiet and shy…and, well…that's all I know about Scorpius really…"

And Albus feels like punching her when everyone turns back to face him – oh how he wishes he could escape this uncomfortable situation, somehow – but instead he just sits there dumbly, feeling his cheeks grow warmer, unsure of what to say.

"He's kind of weird," Hugo began, and Albus snapped his head up and _glared_ at her, daring her to continue. "Not in a bad way or anything," she shrugged, "He just doesn't talk to many people."

"That's not a bad thing," Albus snarled. "He talks to me, and the rest of our year. In fact, he never stops talking…it gets kinda annoying actually…" He trailed off, smiling fondly.

"I get what you mean, Hugh. He's a bit of a loner really –"

James got cut short by the look on his brother's face.

"Just because he doesn't want to talk to you, James dear, doesn't mean he doesn't want to talk." Roxanne tried to interject – embarrassed at the inevitable argument that she caused – but she was cut off by James, who seemed to have taken this as an opportunity to one up his younger brother.

"There's no need to get defensive, Al. All I'm saying is-"

"You were insulting my boy- You were insulting my _friend_ James." He growled, keeping his voice evenly dangerous throughout, despite his slip up. "I don't see what your problem is. Scorp's never done _anything_ to you, so just leave him the hell alone."

"Well _I am_ sorry for just trying to talk about your friends, Al. You've never told us anything about 'em, not even your precious _Malfoy_." He spat the last word out as though it were poison, and that made Albus get on his feet and slam his hands onto the table faster than one could even think.

"James you better shut your mouth before I come over and shut it for you."

Over half of the cousins looked both frustrated and worried now, but the others were watching with obvious interest, as Albus rarely lost his temper.

James laughed. "Oh I _am_ scared," he teased, mockingly. "I'm sure you'll be able to do that. Why don't you just come over here and try?" Albus didn't move but was practically shaking with rage, his white-knuckled hands gripping the table as though it was a life support; James continued. "Do you want to know what Scorpius Malfoy is like, Roxy? He is a manipulative, greedy, selfish _brat_ who—"

He never finished, because Albus had climbed under the table as fast as lightning and dragged his brother down, pinning him to the floor as forcefully as he could.

"Shut your bloody mouth, James. Just shut up. Shut up, shut up. Shut up!" He spat, and his fury boiled and bubbled away inside him like a potion gone wrong when James only smirked and sat upright easily.

"Al, if you're going to threaten a man, you need to at least have the decency to carry it out."

"Fuck you James." Albus slowly stood, his hands clenched into fists, while his family members looked on in something that was akin to wonder. "You don't even know Scorpius; hell, you've never even _talked_ to him. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY ANY OF THOSE THINGS. DID YOU HEAR ME? I SAID THAT YOU HAVE NO RIGHT ON MERLIN'S EARTH TO—"

"BOYS!" He was cut off by his mother storming into the room, attracted by the screaming. Her face was as red as her hair, and the two brothers shared a nervous look before Albus turned around to face his mother, all of his previous fire having been extinguished entirely. "You two," she pointed at both of them in turn, "come into the kitchen with me immediately!"

Later, James would go on and on about how hypocritical their mother was, for shouting at them for shouting; Albus would quietly nod his head in agreement, if only because their mum had taken both of their owls away from them, and how on earth would he contact Scorpius now? They both sat miserably on James' bed, having already forgiven each other for their previous row.

"I think you get your temper from her," James mused, only to get hit in the face with a pillow.

And so another fight began…


End file.
